Forced draft and humidifier device for hot air registers



Nov. 27,1934. H, c o 1,982,465

FORCED DRAFT AND HUMIDIFIER DEVICE FOR HOT AIR REGISTERS Filed Jan. 21, 1932 j Y o 8 I I i B=E if F" ea 42 1% 17 I INVENTOR. By M ATTORNE s.

Patented Nov. 27, 1934 stars IcE event FORCED DRAFT AND HUMIDIFIER DEVICE FOR HOT AIR REGISTERS 5 Claims.

This invention relates to forced draft heating devices, and more in particular to such devices used in connection with hot-air, steam, and hotwater heating systems for homes and other buildmgs.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a portable forced draft producing device which may be applied to any selected hotair register or radiator, to expedite and increase the heating of the room in which. said register or radiator is located.

Another object of this invention is to provide a forced draft producing device having means to condition the air supplied to the room in which applied, that is, capable of supplying to said air the required amount of humidity, thus rendering said air more agreeable and healthful for human use.

A further object of this invention is the provision of such a device which is adapted for operation in a vertical position, which is simple in construction and which may be manufactured at relatively low cost.

Additional features and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing the construction of the forced draft producing device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a special standard used in my device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing one of many available means to operate the louvers of the device.

Fig. 4 shows, diagrammatically, the forced air draft device applied to a hot-air register located in a vertical wall.

Reference being had to the drawing, my invention comprises a rectangular casing 27, made preferably of sheet metal, full open at the rear and having at the front a large circular aperture 2 surrounded by an inward collar 33 within which rotates a fan 4 mounted on the shaft of an electric motor 5.

At the front of the casing are hingedly mounted the louvers 8 by means of which the discharge and the direction of the flow of heated air into the room may be regulated. These ilouvers are preferably connected together for simultaneous operation, and in Fig. 3 is shown one method of operating said louvers. As shown therein, each louver comprises a closing vane 9 having at both ends the lateral stiffening flanges I 10 which are rockably secured on the vertical sides of the casing by the pivot connections 11. One

of the flanges 10 has an extension 12 disposed at a suitable angle to the vane and is provided with an oblong slot 13 engaged by a pin 14 secured to a common push-rod 15 slidably mounted along one vertical side of the casing in guides 16.

It will be noted that when this push-rod is forced down, the louvers will simultaneously be opened and, vice-versa, when the push-rod is pulled up, said louvers will reduce or complete-' ly shut off the discharge of hot air into a room.

The heating device may be suspended from the frame of a hot-air register, or to a radiator, by means of two sets of hooks 17 hingedly mounted on two rectangularly disposed sides of the casing 1. When not in use, said hooks may be turned into the casing, so as not to protrude from the rear side of the casing.

All around the rear edges of the sides of the casing are formed rectangular channels or grooves 18 in which is inserted a strip 19 of resilient and yielding material, such as rubber or felt, to prevent marring the surface against which the draft producing device is mounted, and also to reduce the escapeof hot air along the sides of the casing. q i

This casing may also be provided at the top with any suitable lifting means, such as the handle 20, by means of which the device may p be carried about.

The motor 5 is supported and partly enclosed by a standard 21 to protect the former against the hot air currents. I

This motor standard 21 consistsof a top housing 22 having at the front an inwardly directed V circular flange 23 adapted to fit snugly around the frame of the electric motor 5, and a rear wall 24, preferably of conical shape to reduce the resistance against the flow of the hot-air cur-. rents. This housing is supported by a hollow pedestal 25 in communuication therewith and also, through an aperture 26 provided in the lower side of the casing 27 in communication with the relatively cool air in the room.

In the front of the housing are provided apertures 28 for the circulation of air. As will be readily understood, the rotation of the fan will create within the standard an upward current of air having approximately the room-temperature and cool the electric motor. The size of the latter may be, therefore, reduced and built more economically.

The humidifying of the hot-air is obtained by providing at the lower side of the casing a container 29 which may be filled with water through 119 socket of the electric house-wiring.

j-self to this particular a suitable hole closed with a plug 30. If desired, any desired perfume or propyhlactic substance may be added to the water to perfume the air or render it more healthy.

A wick 31 is partly immersed in said water and, passing through a suitable aperture 32 in the top of the container, is wound around the periphery of the collar 33 within which the fan 4 rotates. This collar is profusely perforated, as at 34, to expose the greater part of the surrounding wick to the action of the forced draft. The water rises in said wick by capillarity and'is rapidly absorbed by the air,,thus imparting to the latter the requ'red humidity for healthful living conditions.

When the hollow motor standard is used in combination with the water container29, it is, of course, necessary to introduce in the latter a water-tight tube 35, open at both ends to es tablish the air circulation within said standard. The latter may be cast in one piece, but it is preferably made in two symmetrical halves pressed out of sheet metal and held together by bolts passed through registering holes'provided in suitable flanges 36. These bolts also serve to clamp the motor solidly in the housing. If desired, the motor may be additionally secured by means of set-screws 3'? disposed. adjacent the front of the housing.

In addition to the above described application of the draft producing device, the latter is also adapted for other uses, such as for drying hair, by placing the device in front of a source of heat, or as an ordinary ventilator in warm weather. The device may also be installed in a window, such as that of a kitchen, to increase the ventilation and rid the kitchen of steam and objectionable odors.

If for instance it is'desired to expedite or improve the heating of a room heated by hot-air, the draft producing device is placed in front of the hot-air register 38 of a hot-air duct 39 and the fan is started by inserting the electric plug on the cord of the motor 5 into any suitable The suction created by the fan will increase the circulation of hot-air in said duct, and thus the room will be heated more rapidly. Once the room' has ac quired the desired temperature, the fan maybe stopped, or stored away if desired.

It will be understood, of course, that the arrangements herein shown are merely suggestive of many that might be adopted in carrying out this invention, and I do not Wish to be limited to the construction illustrated otherwise than as specified in the appended claims.

While in said claims the draft producing device has been claimed in combination with a hotair heating system, I do'not wish to limit myapplication since, manifestly, the device is applicable to other air heating appliances, such as steam or hot water radiators, and other heating apparatuses now in common use.

I claim:

1. In a forced draft heating device for a hot air register, a casing; an electrically operated fan positioned in said casing and adapted to suck heated air through the register; an annular collar secured to the casing and surrounding the blades of said fan; a container for a liquid positioned in the casing, and a wick partly immersed in said liquid and surrounding said collar.

2. Ina forced draft heating device for a hot air register, a casing; an electrically operated fan positioned in said casing and adapted to suck heated air through said register; an annular collar secured to the casing and surrounding the blades of said fan; a container for a liquid positioned in the casing; a wick partly immersed in said liquid and surrounding said collar, said collar being constructed to expose parts of said wick to the heated air.

3. Ina forced draft heating device for a hot air register, a casing; an electrically operated fan in said casing and adapted to suck heated air through said register; an annular collar surrounding the blades of said fan; a container for a liquid positioned in the casing; a wick partly immersed in said liquid and surrounding said collar, the latter being circumferentially apertured to partly expose said Wick to said heated air.

4. In a forced draft heating device for a hot air register, a casing; an electrically operated fan in said casing and adapted to suck heated air throughsaid register; an annular collar surrounding the blades of said fan; a container for a liquid positioned in the casing; a wick partly immersed in said liquid "and surrounding said collar; the latter being circumferentially apertured to partly expose said wick to said heated air, and unitary means independent of said fan to regulate the amount and the direction of flow oi the heated air discharged outwardly by said 5. In-a forceddraft heating device for a hot air registen a casing; an electric motor; a fan mounted on the shaft of said motor and; adapted to suck'heated air through said register; -a support for the *motor comprising a housing partly enclosing said motorand a hollow pedestal communicating with said housing; an annular collar surrounding the fan; a container fora liquid positioned-in the casing and supporting saidpedestal; a wick partly immersed in said liquid and surrounding the collar; means to expose said wick to said-heated air, and a conduit extending through said container and in communication with said pedestaland the space to be heated to convey non-heated air to said electric motor.

H. HERBERT GRAFTON. 

